Up to 200 Arrested in Christiania Police Raid

December 15, 2009 - 9:35am -- jim

Police have, according to ekstrabladet.dk, stormed Christiania/Freetown, which is happening right now, mass arrests are made inside the area.

150-200 persons have been held up for administrative detention, said the police press spokesman Johnny Lundberg to ekstrabladet.dk.

There has been trouble since 22:30 o'clock in the context of a great celebration for the people who attended today's demonstration, which was dissolved for dinner in Christiania. 500 people were in a circus tent, which held a concert.

A climate activist told TV2 News that police threw tear gas into the party in the hall after the city was stormed. The police can neither confirm nor deny.

Among other things, at Woodstock in detention we have a number of people we've seen come running from barricaded areas, said police spokesman Henrik Suhr to TV2 News.

40-50 policemen stormed into the town, where party members cast glass opposite the police.

It seems that the police strategy is alternately moving in and out of town. Shortly after police influx, they came out with police dogs again - to turn out five minutes later - at 00:04.

Police have called in reinforcements, and there will be many more officers and dogs to the scene.

There are 12-13 Dutchman coaches (?riotvans??) present alone at Princess Street, and police have control over the situation outside of the main entrance on Princess Street. There are however subject to 'bangers' and the like into the street from inside Christiania.

00:23: The police begin to escort detainees from the city. The first bus at Burmeistersgade arrived, and ekstrabladet.dk 's broadcast have been told that 17 detainees be transported away in the bus. There are certainly more buses on the road.

Tear gas, bonfires and fire

Ballad began around 22:30 o'clock, when party-goers built barricades outside the main entrance on Princess Street with flammable materials on site, where police last hour has been solid in place to prevent that party pulled out of Christiania.

- As we go forward we will extinguish fires by the Molotov cocktails which will be thrown at us, told the press spokesman Henrik Suhr to ekstrabladet.dk.

The police threw tear gas, but retreated from Princess Street and into side streets. Black-clad activists stormed out and barrikerede street with sofas, tables, a large boat and other things. And set fire to it again.

Water cannon - with police words of fire and clearing vehicle - was the first time at the climate meeting being used to extinguish the fire at the main entrance on Princess Street/Prinsessegade

War Zone

Meanwhile, the police throw tear gas into massive degree by violence tells ekstrabladet.dk 's broadcast. In an area outside the area cars are burned and the police will sweep the field.

It thunders and roars from the city and firework and stones has been thrown against the police. ekstrabladet.dk 's broadcast tells the area resembles a war zone.

Police helicopter hovers above the ground.

According to TV2 News, at least two further men were arrested before the city was stormed.